Ice-machine



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet'. 1. T. L. RANKIN.

ICE MACHINE.

INVENTDB- ATT EST:

(No Mode 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 T. L. RANKIN.

ICE MACHINE.

No. 316,824. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

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ATT EST' INVENTDR:

NVENTU R Illnlllllllll 6 Sheets-Sheet 4. T. L. RANKIN.

1GB MACHINE.

(No Mom.)

N0.`316.824. Patented Apr. 28. 1885.

07. @farb/Lm,

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5. T. L. RANKIN.

IUE MACHINE.

INVENTEIR Jv M0100 @Hok Patented Apr. Z8,A 1885.

@u mmm (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6. T. L. RANKIN.

. ICE MACHINE.

No. 316,824. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

WITJ/'ESSES .Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT OrmeaJ THOMAS L. RANKIN, OF'NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JACOB XV.

' SKINKLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ICE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,824, dated April 28, 1885.

Application filed March 2l, 1883.

(No model.)

To all whom t 17mg concern.-

y Be it known that I, THOMAS L. RANKIN, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making Ice; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for various refrigerating or cooling purposes, but is principally adapted for icemaking.

'Ihe apparatus comprises the usual partssuch as a still, condenser, receiver, refrigerator, and absorber-the invention consisting in the construction and novel arrangement of some of said parts, and in combining-with the apparatus a peculiar device for partially heating` the water, rich in aqua-ammonia, on its way from the absorber to the still, as hereinafter described.

In the drawings', Figure l is a perspective View of the whole apparatus Yfrom the side on which the still is situated. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a part of a horizontal feed-pipe for the still. Fig. 3 is a side view ofthe still, partly in section, to show its interior construction and having a vertical feed-pipe attached. Fig. 4 is a side view of the equalizer or device to heat the strong aqua-ammonia returning from the absorber to the still. Fig. 5 is a side view of a coil between the equilizer and condenser, in which coil the exhausted water is cooled. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a section of a conducting device for insertion in the coils,hereinafter named. Fig. 7 is an end view of the same. Fig. Sis a side view of three sections of said device in a pipe of a coil. Fig. 9 is a side view of the absorber. Fig. 10 is a side view of a part of one end of the absorber, showing the couplings of the interier and exterior pipes. Fig. 11 is a side view of the condenser. Fig. 12 is a side view of a part of one end of the condenser, showing the couplings of the interior and exterior pipes and the packing-boxes at the ends of the latter, and Fig. 18 is a side view of the refrigerator.

The still, equalizer, coil between the equalizer and condenser, condenser, absorber, and refrigerator are all in the form of what are called return-bend coils,77 the pipes of which are coupled at alternate ends by any suitable coupling-joints, which form no part of the invention. The coupling-joints shown in the drawings are, however, preferred.

For the sake of clearness, the circulation of the aqua-ammonia,ammoniacal gas,and steam will be first described as they are shown in Fig. l. Afterward the construction of such parts as differ from the ordinary construction will be described.

Referring to thc accompanying drawings by letter, A represents a still in the form of a return-bend coil, the pipes thereof being connected at their ends by proper' couplings, as shown.

Qis a vertical pipe for feeding the aquaammonia to the still, and for the escape of gas therefrom, provided with the gage S', for ascertaining the pressure of the inflow of water. At the end of each pipe of the still are partial partitions, a, Fig. 2, rising from the coupling-joints and intended to keep the pipe about half-full of aqua-ammonia, the overflow of which from said partitions descends into the next pipe below, filling it likewise about half-full of the medium.

I T is a return-bend steam-coil taking steam from any proper source at its upper end, running centrally through the pipes of the still, and having its lower end banked against a proper steam-trap, T', as shown. The pipes of the steam-coil are connected at their alternate ends by proper coupling-joints, and the coil itself is provided with valves t t, to stop or regulate the flow of steam in the ordinary well -known manner. The aqua-ammonia, after passing through the still and having its gas driven olf by the steam-coil, passes out of the frontend of the lowest pipe of the still through the tube M into the exhausted-water receiver N, which is an air-chamber, and is provided with the gage-glass n to ascertain the pressure within. The chamber N regulates the flow of exhausted water from itself through the pipe O to the upper pipe of the two-pipe return-bend coil B, Figs. 1 and 4. The pipes IOO of the said coil surround a return-coil of the pipe P', hereinafter described, which conveys the enriched water from the absorber, and after passing it through the coil B, returns it to the feed-pipe Q and thence to the still. rlhe exhausted water, after passing through the coil B in the opposite direction to the enriched water in the pipe P', and heating the latter water, and being itself cooled thereby, leaves the lower pipe ofthe coilB, and passes through the vertical tube U' to thelowest pipe of a return-bend coil, C, which is a -four-pipe coil, as shown in Figs. 5 and l. The coil G surrounds a portion of the triplicate return bend coil G G, &c., through the absorber E and condenser D, and has passing through it a current of cold water from its upper end, where it enters the upper pipe'oi" the absorber, to its lower end, where it passes out of the lower pipe of the coil C, the current of cold water being in the reverse direction to the current of exhausted water in the latter coil. rlhe exhausted water passes out of the upper or highest pipe of the coil C through the tube U, and enters the lowest pipe of the return-bend absorber-eoil E, Figs. l and 9, where it nieets with and absorbs the expanded gas from the reirigerator F, which enters the absorber by the lower end of the tube H" H", the said tube entering the lowest pipe opposite the entrance of the pipe U. The water thus enriched with gas flows up through the absorber-coils E in an opposite direction to the current of cold water through the coil G, and passes out of the highest pipe of the absorber-coil through the tube Z, whence it iiows intothe horizontalreceiver lt, for en` riched water, and is drawn thence through the pipe I' bythe action of the punip F, which i'orces it through the pipe P' back to the feedpipe Q and still. Between the puinp and feedpipe it passes through the equalizer-coil B, being' heated by the exhaustwater therein, recently from the still, and reduces the teniperature of the saine. The chamber It is essentially an airchainber,and is provided with the pressure-gage S and the pipe L, running from the tube of said gage, and having a valve, L', by incans ot' which the water is drawn oft" when the pressure is too great.

F' is a valve on the tube P' to prevent the return ofthe water to the still, and 1)" is a tube provided with a valve fPand connecting the air-chainber of the puinp with the tube of the gage S, below the valve S2 of the saine. By closing the valves F'" and Sg, and opening the valves I and L', the circulation can be coni'ined to the pulnp till enough water is run off to properly reduce the pressure in the receiver R. rlhe valves L' and l)1 are then closed, and the valves P and S2 opened, and the eirculation of water through the apparatus resuined.

The foregoing closes the description of the circulation of water.

The following is a description of the circulation of gas The gas, released from the still,

rises in the pipe (bl and passes thence through the pipe H to the highest pipe of the returnbend condenser-coil D, down which it passes in a direction opposite to the cold water flowing through the return-bend coil G, a portion of which passes centrally through the pipes of the condenser. The gas leaves the lowcstpipe of the condenser D, passes through the tube H', and enters the receiver l, where it accu1nulates under great pressure. It passes from the receiver I through the tube It' to the valve K, being under pressure up to the valve. When the valve l is opened,the gas enters the upper end of the return-bend coil H" and passes downward and expands therein, cooling the brine or other refrigerating inediuni, which passes upward in the reverse direction through the return-bend refrigerating-coil F, the pipes of which surround the pipes ofthe coil H". rlhe brine enters the lowest pipe of the coil F through the pipe a" i'roni any proper source and leaves the highest pipe of the saine through the pipe a' to go to the refrigeration tanks or other proper points. The lower end of the coil H" passes out of the lowest pipe ofthe coil F and runs to the lowest pipe of the absorber-coil E, into which the expanded gas enters by said lower end, and is absorbed by the exhausted water it nieets there, as described. It then fornis part of the enriched water, the course ot' which has been heretofore described. The feed-pipe Q is provided with the alternate partial partit-ions g r/, so as to make the in'iiowing water inove in undulations as it enters the still, and cause the outllowing steam formed in the still to pass through said water and be condensed thereby. This steam-coa densing apparatus adapts the apparatus to be placed in the holds of vessels, or in roonis or cellars with low ceilings, .which is not practicable with the usual construction. rlhe ends of the pipes forming the condenser-coil D, where they passinto their coupling-pieces, are provided with the interior stuliing boxes, YV, to render their joints tighter. The pipes of the coils T, G, and lll all pass through stuffing-boxes of the usual construction as they pass out of their respective exterior coils. lllhe condenser-coil D, absorber-coil E, and refrigerator-eoil F have each inserted into theni and surrounding their interior coils, G G and il', respectively, the cast-iron condenser sections D, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and S. The said sections are each provided with ahollow cylindrical bod y,Y, the internal radial flanges, Y', to rest on the outer surface ot' the inner coil, and theexternal radial iiangesl, to rest on the interna-l surface of the outer coil. By nieans of these condenser-sections the processes in the refrigerator, absorber, and condenser are inore rapidly and efficiently performed.

Having thus described iny invention,what l desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In an apparatus for iee-inal ing or refrigerating purposes, the combination, with the still thereof, of a feeding-tube provided on its interior with partial partitions so arranged as to cause the steam produced in the still to pass through the incoming feed-water and be con densed thereby, substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus for refrigerating purposes, the combination, with the still A, provided with the partial end partit-ions@ a, of a y feed-pipe, Q, provided with the alternate Apartial partitions y y, and receiving the enriched water from the absorber and delivering the gas from the still to the condenser through proper connecting-pipes, substantially as specified.

3. In an apparatus for refrigerating purposes, the combination, with an exterior coil having a medium flowing through it in one direction, and an interior coil having another medium ilowing through it at a different temperature in an opposite direction, of conductors suitably formed to be inserted into the exterior coil and to rest on the interior coil, and thus hasten the equalizing of the temperatures of the two mediums, substantially as specified. 4. The combination, with the return-bend coils D and G, of the conductor-sections D,

having hollow cylindrical bodies Y, and pro! vided with the radial flanges Y Y2, substantially as specified.

5. In an apparatus for refrigerating purposes, a device to heat the enriched water returning from the absorber to the still by theexhausted water flowing from the still, which device is composed of the return-bend coil B, through which the exhausted water flows in one direction from the still, and the pipe B',

passing through the coil B, and having the 4enriched water passing through it to the still in the opposite direction, substantially as specified.

(i. In an apparatus for refrigerating purposes, the combination, with the still A, pipe M, and regulating air-chamber N, provided with the glass gage-tubea, of the deliverytube O, carrying the exhausted water to the equalizer-coil B under pressure from the airchamber, substantially as specified.

7. The combination,with the pump l?, having connected the incoming-tube l', and outgoing tube B, provided with the valve P, of' t-he receiver B, provided with the gage S, having the valve S2, the tube L, having the valve L', and the connectingtube P, having the valve P, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afl-lx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOS. L. RANKIN.A

Vitnesses:

W. B. KEYwoRTH, A. E. DowELL. 

